Wildrose party calls on Elections Alberta to investigate Tory fundraising

EDMONTON – The Wildrose party is calling on Alberta’s chief electoral officer to investigate public money being given to the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta.

It is illegal under the Elections Act for public funds to be used to finance partisan politics.

The CBC reported that Ron Boisvert, chief administrator for St. Paul, sent emails to about 80 people asking them to vote for Doug Horner first, then Alison Redford, during the leadership race.

Boisvert wanted the vote to be swayed hoping that area MLA Ray Danyluk would keep his cabinet post and keep money flowing to the area.

The Wildrose asks in its letter to chief electoral officer Brien Fjeldheim that he immediately inform all councils of the rules concerning political donations and partisan activity.

Wildrose also is asking Fjeldheim to investigate the St. Paul case and any others that may have violated the Elections Act during the past 7 years.

The party says it has found several instances of public funds being used for partisan politics.

They say Cardston Taber Warner MLA Broyce Jacobs sent a letter in September 2009 thanking the town of Cardston for donating up to a potential $5,000 or more in waived green fees for former premier Ed Stelmach’s golf tournament.

Paul Hinman, Wildrose municipal affairs critic, says public money received by Tory MLAs should be given back to the municipalities where they were generated.

“For several years the current government has been sending the message that you need to support us or your funding could be cut off and this needs to stop,” Hinman said in a news release Friday.

“Municipalities need a stable funding formula so they are not beholden to a political slush fund for municipal funding.”